Daily Reflections

Apollos comes from Alexandria to preach for “the way of the Lord.” He was an authority on scriptures and spoke with “an ardent spirit.” He spoke boldly in synagogues. He still had more to learn though. Aquila and Priscilla heard him speak, and they took him aside to offer him correction. Despite his great ability,…

St. Paul is the center of attention this week in the Acts of the Apostles. In this reading, he has suffered and needs encouragement. He has a vision where God tells him not to be silent and encourages him to keep preaching Christ’s message. As it turns out, he needed the encouragement, because not long…

St. Paul moves on from Athens to Corinth. There he meets people who practice his trade, tent-making. He does not feel uncomfortable bringing his faith to his work. Do not be afraid to bring your Christian faith to your workplace or job. This doesn’t mean you have to proselytize or be pushy about Jesus. It…

Today’s reading has St. Paul preaching in the Aeropagus in Athens. He calls on the Athenians to come to know the “Unknown God.” How amazing it is that God is unknown to us because of our lack of understanding and is still closer to us then we know? St. Paul declares that God gives life…

Fr. Mychal Judge, a New York City priest, had a great prayer he used in his spiritual life. “Lord, take me where you want me to go. Let me meet who you want me to meet. Tell me what you want me to say, and keep me out of your way.”  This prayer carries with…

We begin with the “We” section of the Acts of the Apostles, where the author speaks in terms of a group traveling together. “We” set sail for Neapolis from Troas. Onward from there, we set sail for Philippi. Thus we see the early Church in its apostolic beginning as Paul, Luke, and presumably other companions…

Philip the Deacon travels to Samaria today in the Acts of the Apostles. He performs miracles that inspire faith in the local people. There is great rejoicing in the town, and many convert to Christianity. While this is a great event, it doesn’t complete the work of their conversion. Peter and John come to know…

Love and hate, as opposites, are two very strong emotions. I am not speaking of the mild likes and dislikes a person can have toward, let’s say, pineapple on pizza or their favorite pub, but raw life-changing emotions that will shape a person’s lifelong decisions. Our Gospel today speaks of hate toward followers of Christ.…

When is the last time you were commanded to do something? We are often told what to do in order to accomplish a task correctly, or we might be reminded of our legitimate responsibilities. But to be commanded is something many of us are not used to, especially if it is something that impinges on our freedom.…

Dramatic change, of any sort, is disruptive. You can never, even if you wish, to go back to how things were before. Some dramatic change is exciting – new home, new spouse, new child, new job; some change is devastating – sickness, death, isolation, betrayal. In either instance, you must face the challenge of life…

I want you to notice something vitally important in the first reading today: honest argument. While we will not hear the rest of the scene presented (I encourage you to read the rest of it), a remarkable thing happens: the Church, split in its understanding of what it takes to be a true Christian, argues,…

Over the last few days, we have had the opportunity to reflect on Jesus’ summons to live a radical life of obedience and charitable service. The readings today continue that theme, but this time with an emphasis on gratitude. Our responsorial psalm reveals another necessary attitude that of appreciation: “Let all your works give you…

  The first reading, and its accompanying story, has held particular interest to me for many years. As one of the men chosen to be a deacon – Stephen – is my monastic patron. My name, Etienne, is French for Stephen, and so the story surrounding Stephen, and his own, has shaped my monastic life.…

  Sometimes hearing a few words at the right moment can make all the difference. When things are really hectic, and we wonder how we are going to handle conflicting needs and how they will turn out, we begin to feel a great deal of stress. But if a friend comes along and promises: “I…

  Often when I am visiting with people and encouraging them in their prayer life, they will respond: “Yes, I know…but it’s hard.” I can’t disagree—the spiritual life is hard. Maintaining a consistent prayer life is very hard. There is a subsection in the Catechism of the Catholic Church entitled, “The Battle of Prayer,” which…

  The Acts of the Apostles highlights quite the contrast between Stephen’s relationship to the Holy Spirit versus that of the elders, scribes, and the people. Stephen demonstrates docility and confidence in the Spirit, which inspires him to forgive the very people who are stoning him. Whereas the people, on the other hand, show their…

  When Jesus fed the 5,000, many of the people not only saw the miracle Jesus performed, but more importantly they experienced it, and understood what it was like to be filled. This experience put within them a strong desire to seek Jesus, so much so that they were willing to travel all around and…

  Today is the liturgical day the Church calls “Holy Saturday.” The Church calls it “holy” for one reason: because she recognizes its character as a day of silence. This is beautifully expressed at the opening of an ancient homily she uses in her Office of Readings: “What is happening? Today there is a great…

  Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter or a sheep silent before shearers, he did not open his mouth. (Is. 53:7) Centuries before Jesus came to his cross, the prophet, Isaiah, saw him, as we are told in the first reading for the Liturgy…

  “Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father” (Jn. 13:1). One of the great beauties of the Sacred Liturgy of Holy Thursday is the mystery of how God sanctifies time. We know it in the way Jesus entered “his time” on earth.…

  Betrayal and denial: Jesus foretells these acts of Judas and Peter at the Last Supper. The people closest to Jesus were no more loyal or faithful to him than those who plotted against him and those who would call out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” the next day. “Have I been with you for so…

  The fragrance of aromatic nard must have been quite wonderful for it to be so costly. According to today’s Gospel, when Mary poured the perfumed oil on Jesus’ feet, the fragrance filled the whole house. The story of Mary lavishing something costly and beautiful on the dusty feet of Jesus is a symbol of…

  “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?” In moments of trial we are tempted to not show up. We are tempted to hide behind ignorance, behind fear, behind a sense of “I just want to be nice.” But we are called to be courageous witnesses of God’s plan for…

  There can be a presumption at times — well, many times — that one knows more than what Scripture offers. Or that one must always offer unique perspectives, that is, my perspective. Our readings today offer an opportunity to let Scripture speak for itself. Take a few lines to let us see what God…

  Promises made by God are a tricky thing, at least from our perspective. Think about it for a moment. God promises great things: eternal life, his enduring presence, help in times of distress, and so forth. However, it seems that often, almost too often, these promises are long in coming or merely absent. Is…

  “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.” What are the works of Abraham? Abraham is called our father of faith. His work is his faith. Imagine being called by a god you do not know, going to a land you have never been, and receiving a promise you…

  “I AM” Moses, looking upon a miraculous event, hears God speak to him and offers Moses his name, “I AM.” This name is sacred. It is the name we are not to profane by using lightly or in vulgar speech: “You shall not take the name of the Lord our God in vain.” “I…

  There is, in each reading, a very simple, yet difficult, truth: we are all sinners. Not one is exempt from that reality. It also brings to light another simple but difficult fact: that we all judge others. Some of the most commonly confessed sins revolve around the judgment and treatment of others: gossiping, lying,…

  Division occurs in the crowd because they are uncertain who Jesus is. Some willingly express their belief, but others struggle to accept him as the Christ because of His origin. This division is not surprising since Jesus instructed that people would become divided on his account (cf. Mt. 10:34-36). We might experience this division…

  The Feast of Tabernacles marks the end of the harvest year in the fall on the Jewish calendar, and it also commemorates the time in history where the Israelites dwelt during their forty years of travel in the desert after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt. The Jewish people construct sukkot (“frail huts” or…

  We can all be forgetful and impatient at times, especially of God’s goodness toward us. The dialogue between God and Moses in the reading from the Book of Exodus recounts the grievous incident of the golden calf. When Moses was delayed in returning from the mountain, the Israelites turned to Moses’ brother Aaron and…